1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical contact assemblies and especially to miniature contact assemblies of the socket and pin type used in multicontact electrical connectors.
2. Prior Art
With the increasing complexity of modern electronic systems and the trend toward miniaturization of system components, interest has been created in reducing the size of the connectors required to interconnect the wires extending between the various system modules. It has long been the practice to utilize multiwire socket and pin connectors for such purposes. In such connectors the wires interconnecting the system modules are inserted into elongated contacts and crimped in place. The contacts are then inserted in a connector where they are removably retained by a retention mechanism. Dozens of such contacts may be provided in a single connector.
A common practice is to machine each individual contact, however, this is expensive and therefore many inventors have turned to stamping and rolling the contacts from sheet material. Examples of contacts formed in this manner are disclosed in U.S. Pats. No. 3,286,223, No. 3,317,887, No. 3,721,943, No. 4,072,394 and No. 4,120,556. Many of these contacts include an inner tubular liner forming the contact with one or more sleeves coaxially mounted over the tubular liner to protect and strengthen the contact. These assemblies generally have an annular projection near their midpoint which cooperates with the retaining mechanism to removably secure the contact in a connector. Examples of arrangements for thus securing the contacts are shown in U.S. Pats. No. 4,072,394, No. 4,082,398 and No. 4,120,556. Other types of socket and pin contacts have an annular recess which cooperates with a retaining mechanism to secure the contact in a connector. These types of contacts have heretofore been machined to form the recess.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical contact of the type having an annular retention recess which can be easily and inexpensively fabricated.
It is another object of the invention to provide such an electrical contact which can be rolled from sheet material and in which the contact sleeves can be secured to the contact liner by deforming the sleeves in place on the liner.